on march 21, 1960, in sharpeville, the peaceful civil rights movement was pierced with bullets. ( gunfire ) walter cronkite reported. >> police mounted on tanks opened fire. 69 natives were killed, 176 wounded. most of the victims were shot in the back. >> teichner: it was against this blood-red backdrop that nelson mandela took up arms. >> it is useless and futile for us to continue talking peace and non-violence against a government whose reply is only savage attacks. >> teichner: when the a.n.c. became a more radical movement, nelson mandela became a fugitive, and, in 1962, would be arrested in the johannesburg suburb of rivonia. he was charged with attempting to violently overthrow the government. what unfolded was a crucible known as "the rivonia trial." the climax of the rivonia trial was nelson mandela's speech from the dock. >> it's one of the great political statements, i think, in human history. >> teichner: mandela was sentenced to life in prison. he was sent here to robben island, the alcatraz of south africa. >> this is where we broke stones using four-pound hammers, seated o